UB Solar Strand hits milestone: 1 million kilowatt hours

The one-of-a-kind renewable energy landscape has produced enough solar power to meet the annual energy demand of 136 households

“Hitting the 1 million kilowatt hour mark ahead of our predictions is a great milestone for the Solar Strand and adds another piece of the puzzle in the UB’s effort to become climate neutral by 2030.”

Ryan McPherson, chief sustainability officer

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Barely a year old, the University at
Buffalo’s Solar Strand has produced 1 million kilowatt hours
of electricity.

The one-of-a-kind energy landscape, which is open for the public
to visit, reached the milestone Tuesday.

According to 2011 data from the U.S. Energy Information
Administration, the average household in New York consumes 7,332
kilowatt hours of power per year. Based on that calculation, the
Solar Strand has produced enough power for more than 136
households.

“Hitting the 1 million kilowatt hour mark ahead of our
predictions is a great milestone for the Solar Strand and adds
another piece of the puzzle in the UB’s effort to become
climate neutral by 2030,” said Ryan McPherson, UB’s
chief sustainability officer.

Located on UB’s North Campus near the Flint Road entrance,
the Solar Strand contains 3,200 photovoltaic panels laid out in
pattern of a DNA fingerprint. Designed by world-renown landscape
artist Walter Hood, it is the nation’s most publicly
accessible solar array.

UB flipped the switch on the Solar Strand on April 23, 2012.
Nearly a year later, on April 22, UB officially opened the energy
park to the public. A video of that event can be found here: http://bit.ly/10nf34P.